San Antonio, TX

November 2017

In the wake of the financial collapse of 2008, Chad Carey, then a real estate developer, decided to shift his sights to an industry where he saw opportunity: restaurants. And, oh, what a joyful ascendency into the realm of hospitality it would be.

Since his initiation into food and beverage, Carey has been working to shake up the industry with a laser focus on fun. He brought the idea of the “anti-restaurant” to San Antonio with his first spot, The Monterey, a laid-back clubhouse that featured quirky dishes and an eclectic beverage program. Under his Empty Stomach Group, Carey further flushed out his ideas, introducing more dining and entertainment hangouts: the pizza-joint-meets-cocktail-bar Barbaro and indie music venue Paper Tiger. Carey’s Asia-meets-Americana Hoy Joy was awarded a spot on Bon Appétit’s “Best New Restaurants” list for 2014. His latest concept, Chisme, is an engaging, queso-for-allTex-Mexx restaurant complete with a Mariachi soundtrack.

While Carey strives to push San Antonio’s restaurant scene forward, he’s cognizant to create balance for his employees, so they’re able to have as much fun as the patrons they’re serving. With a wine bar on the way, Carey’s continued approach to conviviality is as magnetic as it is necessary.